jili tutorial

National Council on Problem Gambling Seeking Third Executive Director in Two Years

By jili tutorial · September 29, 2026

National Council on Problem Gambling Seeking Third Executive Director in Two Years

Leadership Turmoil at a Critical Time

The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG), one of the most prominent U.S. voices on gambling-related harm, is searching for an executive director again—the third time in less than two years. The news came out on Friday, Sept. 25, when GamblingHarm.org editor Brian Pempus reported that the NCPG might be moving on from Heather Maurer. The board of directors subsequently confirmed that Maurer had resigned.

Maurer’s departure leaves the organization at a delicate moment. The NCPG is supposed to lead prevention, research, and advocacy around problem gambling, but its recent decision to create a membership category for prediction markets has triggered a backlash from state regulators and the established gambling industry. The leadership search will now play out against that backdrop.

The Board’s Response: Continuity First

In a statement, NCPG Board President Derek Longmeier sought to reassure partners and staff:

“With the dedicated commitment and depth of experience of the NCPG staff, we assure all of our advocacy, programs, and services will carry on seamlessly during the search process. The need for NCPG’s work to prevent and reduce gambling-related harm has never been greater, and we will continue to build on the strength of our partnerships with Affiliates, members, and stakeholders to meet the challenges ahead.”

The emphasis on continuity is typical during leadership upheaval, but it also signals a concern: stakeholder confidence may be shaky.

Who Is Heather Maurer?

From Healthcare Leadership to Problem Gambling

Maurer joined the NCPG in January 2026. She replaced Keith Whyte, who had led the organization for two decades before leaving to become FanDuel’s responsible gaming strategic adviser.

Before taking the NCPG post, Maurer spent nearly six years as CEO of the National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health. Earlier, she was executive director of the Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education. According to her LinkedIn profile, Maurer had no gaming-industry background before joining the NCPG.

The NCPG said Maurer was selected after a “highly competitive search.” Yet her tenure turned out to be brief, and her lack of experience in the gambling space became a point of discussion as the organization waded into a controversial new sector.

The Prediction-Market Decision That Changed Everything

A New Membership Category

The central controversy of Maurer’s short tenure emerged in May, when the NCPG announced a new membership category for prediction markets. Prediction markets—platforms where users can bet on the likelihood of future events such as elections, economic indicators, or sports outcomes—generally say they are not gambling operators. Instead, they describe themselves as investment or trading platforms.

The NCPG accepted a $2 million contribution to create the “Financial Services & Trading” membership category and to launch the “Financial Trader Health and Safety Initiative.”

Why Critics Objected

Critics argue that many prediction markets operate illegally, accepting wagers in ways that resemble traditional sports betting or event wagering. The legal gambling industry—including casino operators and sportsbooks—strongly opposed the NCPG aligning itself with these platforms. Their concern was practical as well as principled: a respected problem-gambling nonprofit giving prediction markets a seat at the table could be seen as legitimizing unregulated competitors.

Fallout: Regulators and Affiliates Pull Back

The backlash was swift and public.

In addition, numerous other state gaming regulators and gaming interests indicated that they might not renew their NCPG memberships when they come due.

Even the NCPG’s annual conference was affected. The 2026 gathering, held in Nashville in July, was described as subdued—a noticeable shift for an event that typically brings together researchers, treatment providers, and industry leaders.

NCPG’s Defense: Harm Doesn’t Wait for Definitions

Despite the criticism, the NCPG has not reversed course. Longmeier defended the decision in September, arguing that prediction markets can be harmful even if they are not officially classified as gambling.

“Prediction markets, regardless of whether one considers them gambling or not, expose consumers to many of the same risks and harms associated with traditional gambling.”

He added that it is the NCPG’s duty to “prevent and reduce gambling-related harm wherever it occurs.”

That framing is significant: the NCPG sees itself as following harm, not just regulated gambling. But it also creates a difficult balancing act. The organization relies on partnerships with state agencies and the gaming industry; the prediction-market category could cost it both.

What the Leadership Search Means for NCPG’s Future

Unanswered Questions

It is unclear whether the prediction-market controversy directly caused Maurer’s resignation. The NCPG continues to defend the membership category, and the board has not cited it as a reason for her departure. Still, the timing raises obvious questions.

The next executive director will need to address:

A Challenging Recruitment

Hiring a new executive director is never easy, but this search is especially challenging. The candidate must have the credibility to work with public health agencies, the political skills to manage a divided board and membership, and enough knowledge of modern gambling markets to address everything from sports betting to cryptocurrency to prediction markets.

The fact that the NCPG is seeking its third executive director in less than two years may also give some potential candidates pause. Nonprofit leaders expect to be judged on long-term results, not just crisis management.

Why This Matters Beyond the NCPG

The NCPG is not just one organization. For decades, it has been a central convener for problem-gambling resources in the United States. When the NCPG is stable, state councils, treatment providers, gambling operators, and researchers can coordinate nationally. When it is not, gaps emerge in a fragmented system of regulation and harm prevention.

The prediction-markets dispute has also forced a broader question: What counts as gambling in the age of financialized betting? The answer will shape not only the NCPG’s future, but also how nonprofits and regulators decide where to draw lines around new products.

In the meantime, the NCPG says its work will continue. But with its board searching for another executive director, and with state regulators reconsidering their memberships, the organization faces one of the most uncertain periods in its recent history.